On Jun 4, 2016, an emergency drill was held at the International House, a dormitory where TUA’s international students reside. It is an event that is carried out every early summer, in collaboration with the regional Mabashi fire station. This is because residents of the International House are reshuffled in the course of one year.  The drill this year centered on measures to be taken in the event of a fire or earthquake and confirmation of evacuation route.

Firstly, the participants received verbal instructions regarding how to make an emergency call to the Fire Department at the onset of a fire, and firefight at an early stage using a fire extinguisher, as well as when to evacuate, that is, when flames have reached the ceiling and a firefighting operation by oneself is no longer possible.  The participants then engaged themselves in actual firefighting exercises.

Subsequently, the participants got onto an “earthquake simulator truck” to experience the magnitude of a large earthquake that had occurred in the past. It is extremely significant for international students whose native countries have no earthquakes to experience what a real earthquake is like, as it will help them behave calmly without panicking in the event of an actual earthquake. All the participating students experienced the mobile earthquake simulator, leaving individual comments such as “I could hardly stay upright” or “the shaking was so strong, beyond my imagination.”

Lastly, the evacuation route and the locations of fire extinguishers at the International House were confirmed, followed by an evacuation exercise using an escape ladder through an emergency exit.

We are most grateful to the firefighters of the Mabashi fire station for providing support and instructions during the drill on Saturday morning.